A Kiss at Midnight (Fred's perspective)
by KLHF23
Summary: (As told from FRED'S PERSPECTIVE) Fred Weasley and Hermione Granger are friends. No, make that acquaintances. But will a New Year's kiss change everything? I recommend reading the original story first.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes: This is my story, A Kiss at Midnight, told from Fred's perspective. If you haven't read it, I definitely recommend reading it first. Please let me know what you think. If there is enough interest I will keep it going.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Fred Weasley wasn't really sure when it had started. All he knew was that it was making him mental. Even now as he and George fooled around with a few of their latest products, he was distracted. Right now, for instance, she kept sighing and fidgeting. He knew George found it irritating, but he thought it was cute. How pathetic was that?

It was true though. Somewhere along the way, Fred had fallen for Hermione Granger. Sure, he'd always had a strange attraction to her even back in school. Lee and George had made fun of him enough for it, hadn't they? But during the war when she was off saving the world with the Boy Wonder, he had realized it was a lot more than that. She was the one he had worried about. She was the one he thought about right as the final battle began. He knew then he had it bad.

He had made up his mind to tell her as soon as the war ended, but then she went and kissed Ron. RON! His stupid git of a brother. How in Merlin's name either of them ever thought that was a good idea was beyond him. Sure put a wrench in his plans though. He couldn't be the guy that hit on his brother's girl. They had realized it wouldn't work pretty quickly, of course, but by that point he was a little unsure what to do. What was an acceptable amount of time to wait after something like that? Now it had been over a year and still he had said nothing. Hadn't changed how he felt though. Yeah, he sounded like a girl. It was awful.

George had been pushing him to do something for awhile. He was pretty sure that was more because he was tired of hearing about it more than any real interest in his relationship with Hermione, but whatever, he made good points. So now here they were, all at the Burrow for the holidays, and he knew it was now or never. He had to make a move. He just hadn't quite figured out how to do that yet.

"Do you have to do that in here?" she snapped suddenly, jolting him out of his thoughts. He had to laugh out how embarrassed she looked at losing her cool. She had clearly been thinking it for a while, but was too nice to actually say anything.

George caught his eye and they sat down beside her. "What's the matter, Granger?" he whispered in her ear, trying desperately to ignore the excitement he felt at sitting so close to her.

"Yeah, Herms, are you alright" George added.

She looked up straight into his eyes. He hadn't been expecting that and it unnerved him for a second, but he was a Weasley twin, after all, and he recovered quickly. He gave her his best pitiful face, hoping to loosen her up.

"I want to finish my book," she said. "It's nearly impossible with you lot." He knew she was really annoyed, but maybe his exaggerated expression did the trick because she seemed to relax a little.

"Oh, loosen up, Granger," George teased. "It's nearly New Year's Eve. A time for mischief!" He winked then before running off, clearly suggesting it was time to make a move. But what? He was usually pretty cool around girls, but Hermione was different. She wouldn't fall for any of his normal nonsense and if he was perfectly honest, he wouldn't want her to.

"And what, pray tell, is so special about the New Year that we need to celebrate five days early?" she asked her eyebrows raised in speculation.

"It is going to be a special year, Granger, have you not heard?" he asked.

He watched her forehead wrinkle in confusion as she tried to process what he was saying. He couldn't take his eyes off of her and he thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest when she returned his gaze. Yeah, he was turning into a pansy.

"Wha-what?" she asked awkwardly. She hadn't looked away though. That was good, right? She seemed to realize and blushed before turning away. "What did I miss?"

Now or never, he thought. Summoning some of that Gryffindor courage he relied on quite frequently in his crazy life, he took a chance. "This year, sweet Hermione," he whispered, "I am going to kiss you at midnight." He laughed at her expression and decided to jump in completely, winking at her before sauntering off.

Oh, Merlin, what had he done.

* * *

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	2. Chapter 2

**Notes: Please see the companion to this story, A Kiss at Midnight. I suggest reading it first.**

Thanks to all who are sticking with me.

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Fred woke to the sounds of his mother making breakfast downstairs. His stomach had just growled in anticipation when he shot up and groaned loudly.

"What's the matter with you?" George grumbled. "Some of us are trying to sleep." He held his arms in front of his face trying to block the light streaming in from the window.

"What am I supposed to say to her this morning? She probably thinks I am completely pathetic."

"No, she probably thinks it was a joke," his twin sighed and pulled into a sitting position, accepting that he was not going to be allowed to go back to sleep.

Fred looked startled. "But I-"

"Look you have two choices," George interrupted. "since you obviously aren't going to just tell her. You can play it off as a joke. She'll believe it. It's what we do."

"Or?"

"Or you make her see that you're serious."

"How do I do that?" That had been his problem all along, hadn't it? Showing her how he felt. She wasn't just any girl; she was Hermione bloody Granger! He really didn't want to screw up what little chance he probably already had with her.

George shrugged. "You'll have to make sure that night is extra special."

"Like a party or something? Do you think she'll even stay up to midnight?"

"She did last year."

"What? How do you know that?" Fred looked truly confused. He remembered the previous New Year, but nothing about Hermione. "We went to the party at Lee's…"

"Yep, and since the two of you were too busy snogging Alicia and Katie in the corner, I spent the evening with the Golden Trio."

"Oh, bloody hell," Fred fell back on the bed and covered his face with his hands. "Did she see?" Who was he kidding, of course she did. She probably thought he was teasing her now trying to setup a Round two for this year. He had forgotten all about his impromptu make out session with Alicia. They both had too much to drink and it just kind of happened. It hadn't really meant anything. He and Alicia even laughed about it now.

"Well, it was rather hard to miss, Freddie. You weren't exactly inconspicuous."

"She's going to think I'm such a player. No way she takes me seriously now." He felt his heart sink. This wasn't like any half-arsed feelings he had felt for other girls over the years. He thought she might actually be the one to make him commit to a real relationship. Oh, bugger, he had it bad.

"Oh, I don't know, you two do seem to have some weird kind of chemistry. Maybe you're just what she needs. Loosen her up a bit. We'll think of something."

"I'm taking a shower. I'll meet you downstairs," he muttered, his mind preoccupied as he stepped out in the hallway, right smack dab into the very person dominating his thoughts.

"Oi, Hermione!" he shouted as he realized who he had momentarily wrapped up in his arms.

"Fred! Hi, I was just, um, that is I am just heading down for breakfast." He couldn't help but smirk at her reaction as she realized her hands were resting on his chest. He watched as she ran off, clearly embarrassed. Great, he thought. She's going to be scared of me now.

He decided to skip the shower, eager to get downstairs and see her again. George met him at the top of the stairs and gave him an odd look. He just shook his head, not ready for any more teasing from him just yet. Fortunately for him, they were able to overhear the conversation downstairs before making their entrance.

"What's the matter with you?" Ron asked with a mouthful of toast.

"Nothing," Hermione answered quickly. "And close your mouth, it's revolting."

"Aw, come now, Granger," George teased as he plopped down in the seat across from her, "ickle Ronniekins would never be revolting."

"Annoying, perhaps," Fred added as he swept in to the open seat beside her.

"Or a bit thick," George offered.

"Or even a little dull," Fred admitted.

"But never revolting," they finished together smiling wickedly at their little brother who simply muttered under his breath in way of response. He did occasionally feel bad for the hard time they gave him, but then he would go and do something so incredibly thick, so Ron-like, that the feeling soon passed.

"I suppose that the two of you find it perfectly acceptable to have virtually no table manners to speak of," Hermione asked. He couldn't see her face, but knew she was probably rolling her eyes. It was part of what he loved about her, her feistiness. He inched closer to her, perhaps a little more than was actually necessary.

George, meanwhile, pretended to be shocked by her comment. "Why of course not, Granger. In fact, we are capable of pristine manners in even the most formal of circumstances."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And do you find yourself attending formal occasions often?" she smirked. He had to admit she seemed completely unaffected having him in such close proximity. He clearly didn't make her _too_ nervous.

"Have you forgotten the Yule Ball, in what, your fourth year?" he asked. Attempting to be funny, he leaned over in an exaggerated manner, hoping to get a laugh. No such luck. Bugger.

"That was just a school dance," she scoffed. "Hardly a chance to put any true skills to the test."

"Is it just me, Freddie, or does that sound like a challenge?" his twin asked his eyes sparkling in anticipation.

He eyed George for a moment, trying to read whatever was on his mind. He clearly had an idea. He decided to roll with it. "I do believe so, Georgie. What did you have in mind?"

"New Year's Eve. A formal dinner. Perhaps a ball afterwards," he shrugged. "We will show Hermione here what gentlemen we can be."

"Ooooh, a ball!" Ginny squealed. "Hermione, we have to go shopping immediately. I am going to need new dress robes. Can we have it outside, Mum?" she asked.

Fred glanced over at his Mum, who was clearly a little startled by the sudden plans. Leave it to Ginny to get carried away. Maybe that wasn't a bad thing this time.

"Well, yes, dear, I suppose so," Mrs. Weasley replied. "We could all use a little happiness since the war, I think. Yes, quite so. We'll start the preparations straight away."

Hermione looked back and forth between he and George in amazement. Fred knew she was debating with herself. That's what she did. The idea of a ball was appealing to her, but she really didn't want to give them the satisfaction of possibly proving her wrong.

She was quiet for a long time. It was starting to get a little weird, if he was honest. He tried to get George to tone down the theatrics a bit before turning back to Hermione. He nudged her ever so slightly, hoping to get her attention.

"Four more days, Granger," he whispered quietly in her ear. He tried his best to give a flirtatious look, but was certain he came out looking like a complete git. Oh well, seemed to have worked anyway, didn't it? She turned beet red and started to run off.

"That was great, Molly," she said sincerely, before completely disappearing. "Thank you."

And she was gone.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Notes: Thanks to those of you who have followed me over and are still taking time to read and review. It means a lot.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

After breakfast, Fred had gone outside to the spot he and George had always frequented as kids. He needed time to think after the events of the morning. Maybe it had been too much. He knew Hermione wasn't really the flirtatious type. And despite her short tryst with his brother, she was still relatively young and inexperienced. He didn't want to scare her off before things even began.

He couldn't back down now though, could he? He was pretty sure that would be even weirder at this point. No, he'd have to find a way to show her he was serious without scaring her off. He was pacing back and forth, considering his options, when he heard the familiar sound of footsteps. He stopped, not bothering to turn around, knowing who the intruder would be.

"A ball?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as his visitor revealed himself. "How am I supposed to put together a ball? And you really had to lay it on thick about the perfect etiquette, didn't you? Now she's going to be scrutinizing every detail!"

"It'll get her attention, I reckon," his twin just shrugged in response.

"Well, yeah, George, I'm sure it would impress her pants off, but what do you think I know about planning a ball?"

"How hard can it be? Mum and Ginny will help."

He sighed. Sometimes his twin's lackadaisical attitude drove him nuts. Wait, what? He was usually the more laidback and spontaneous of the two. Bloody hell, what was this bird doing to him? He was acting like a complete nutter.

"It's in four days, Forge." Fred was an optimistic kind of guy, but this seemed daunting even for him. Hermione would think he was a complete joke if he couldn't pull this off.

"You're a wizard, mate," George said, clapping him on the back. "Magic and all that. We've got this."

"What if nobody comes?" Fred's eyes widened in horror as all the possible issues came flooding into his thoughts. He groaned as he considered all the ways that all of this could blow up in his face.

George just shook his head. "Man, you've got it bad. You're sounding like a girl. Snap out of it. Granger's coming, isn't she? She all but said so at breakfast. Does it really matter if anyone else comes?"

"I guess not," he muttered. Honestly, he didn't care if Hermione was the only one that showed up, but somehow he didn't think she would be too impressed by a ball consisting of two guests.

"Right-o. So let's go talk to Mum and Gin. They'll know what to do. Come on now, stop moping. It's making me mental."

He threw a rock at his twin's head as he sauntered away, but did reluctantly follow him. What in Merlin's name had he gotten himself into?

* * *

George had been right. His Mum and Ginny were more than enthusiastic to help. Fred had never even heard of some of the stuff his little sister was going on about. He finally had to put his foot down a few times. He was footing the bill, after all, he ought to be able to make a few decisions at least.

There were only three days left until New Year's Eve. It was taking every possible wand they could find to get things ready in time, including Hermione's. Fred knew that wasn't ideal, but at least he got to spend time with her. Besides, he was saving the finishing touches for the last minute. He had been working tirelessly to make sure he knew all of her favorite things. He and George would take care of all of those details themselves. Some things would still be a surprise at least.

He saw her standing alone, seeming to admire the work they had completed thus far.

"A sickle for your thoughts, Granger," he said, trying his best to sound casual.

"Fred!" she whirled around, nearly slamming into him. "You scared me."

Breathlessly, he took her in. Her hair was slightly disheveled from the work they had been doing all afternoon, but man, she looked gorgeous. Her face was flushed, whether from exertion or embarrassment he wasn't sure, but either way, he liked it. "Sorry," he said softly. He hadn't meant to frighten her, but she seemed fine now. Deciding to shrug it off, he gestured towards the tent. "It's going to be great, don't ya think?"

"Oh, yes," Hermione answered. "It's lovely." He watched her carefully, but she seemed sincere. He decided to take a chance. Baby steps. He had three whole days, didn't he? He almost rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all. _Three days_ to woo the girl of his dreams _._

"George and Percy are working on the dance floor now," he winked. "Might I have the honor of the first dance with you, Hermione?" he asked with a flourish, bowing down in an exaggerated manner.

She laughed. Was she laughing at him? No, wait, she was curtsying back. Was she _blushing_? Startled, he almost missed her response. "Why, of course, Mr. Weasley!" His head shot up. Yep, definitely blushing. No denying it this time.

"Fantastic!" he exclaimed. Feeling a little more confident by her reaction, he grabbed her hand and gave it a soft kiss before grinning up at her. _Oh, Merlin, those eyes._ He forced himself to leave, but then decided to turn back once more. "Three days," he whispered.

He walked away grinning to himself. That had gone a little better than expected. Maybe, just maybe, he stood a chance. He was definitely able to get a reaction out of her at least. Well, one thing was for sure, he wasn't going down without a fight.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Notes: Thanks to those who have taken time to read and review. And all of you that followed me from the original story, A Kiss at Midnight.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"So you asked her to dance, huh?" George asked as he stocked the shelves at our shop. Fred was supposed to be helping, but admittedly, he was a bit distracted. "Why didn't you just ask her to go with you?"

"If it was that easy for me to ask her out, don't you think I'd have done that by now?" he scowled. He roughly sat down a large container of Skiving Snack Boxes on the floor between them.

"Easy! I worked hard on those." George exclaimed. "And yeah, I get it, but you could tell her you both need dates. It's kind of true, isn't it?"

He thought about that for a moment. It was true. George was with Angelina. Ginny was with Harry. Lee as with Katie. Even Ron had Lavender. They were the two unattached ones. Maybe he _should_ ask her. It would just make sense, right?

"You know you're going to have to ask her out eventually? Like, for real ask her?"

"Yes," he grumbled, angrily throwing merchandise on the shelves, hoping his twin would take a hint.

"You could just snog her?"

"You know bloody well I want to snog her, you git," he hissed. "But one doesn't just walk up and snog Hermione Granger."

"Why not?"

"Because it's Hermione," he argued helplessly.

His twin just shook his head. "But isn't that what you usually would do? What's different about this one?"

"Everything," he said quietly.

* * *

"Oi, Fred! Get out here!" he heard George shout from the front of the shop. He was in the back working out the kinks on a new product, desperately trying to get a certain bookworm out of his mind.

"I'm busy!" he yelled back, urging George to just take care of it this once. He really wasn't in the mood.

"Have it your way," his twin shouted back. "Ah, If it isn't our favorite little sister," he continued loudly. Ginny. Well, normally he would take time to see his little sister, but he had just seen her this morning and he wasn't really in the mood to socialize.

"And _Granger_ too?" George's voice came across even louder this time. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Well, that got his attention. He looked down. He was a mess. Oh, well, so be it. He brushed himself off the best he could and stumbled through the door to the front of the shop.

"Just came by to see my dear brothers, of course," Ginny was saying.

"Hermione," he said breathlessly upon seeing her. Well, that was graceful. Bloody hell, she looked fantastic. He was certain she didn't even try, that it just came effortlessly. Either way, it was magnificent. He wasn't sure why she was standing in his shop right now, but best make the most of it.

"What brings you lovely ladies to Diagon Alley? Couldn't resist the Weasley charm, eh, Granger?" he teased.

"Actually, we were dress shopping for the ball," Ginny interrupted. She was watching him curiously and he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy at the idea of his little sister catching on to him.

"Nothing too revealing I hope, Sis," George teased. "Don't want to have to have a second talk with the Boy Wonder."

"My dress is nothing compared to Hermione's," Ginny retorted. "And stay away from Harry!" Fred smirked, remembering their last conversation with the Boy Who Lived. Poor bloke had been so nervous it really hadn't seemed fair.

"Anyway," Ginny continued, glaring between the two, "I need some new snacks for my Pygmy Puff. George, could you help me look, please."

"But you know where they are…OW, you don't have to be so rough!" his twin hissed as their baby sister pulled him away.

Well, this was awkward. He wasn't sure if he should strangle his twin or hug him. He did get some alone time with Hermione, after all. He glanced over to her and nearly snorted when he realized she was standing over the love potions looking positively horrified.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to slip you one."

"It's not that," she said, obviously nervous. "It's just that, um, well, it's-"

"We've been set up," he finished. "Yes, I noticed," he said rolling his eyes to show he thought his siblings were crazy too. He waved his hand in dismissal, trying to put her at ease and show that it didn't really bother him.

Think fast, think fast, he thought. What would he normally do in this situation? At a loss, he began walking around the store, straightening merchandise as he went, hoping she would follow and buy him a little time to think.

"But why?" Hermione asked, almost running to keep up with his long legs.

Fred just laughed as he reached up to grab an escaped anti-gravity hat. "Always trying to figure out the next puzzle, aren't you, Granger? Except the ones that are right under your nose."

"I don't understand-" she began but he didn't let her finish, disappearing around the corner.

"Will you PLEASE be _still_?" she ordered when she finally caught up to him.

He stopped suddenly and she nearly ran into him. He had to stop himself from laughing out loud. There was that sassiness he loved so much. He turned around slowly, very aware of their close proximity. Oh Merlin, she smelled nice. _Really_ nice. He resisted the urge to lean in further.

"Granger?" he asked quietly. He didn't move and realized he had been holding his breath. He watched as the warmth of his breath ruffled her hair. He wanted so badly to kiss her.

"Yes?" she whispered. She stared up at him, making his heart skip a beat.

"You're standing on my foot," he replied and then chuckled as she jumped and stumbled to get out of the way. Yeah, he chickened out. It was just as well, he'd told her New Years, right? Might as well keep up that little charade or whatever it was.

"I'm so sorry," she stammered and he could see she was embarrassed. She mumbled something about finding Ginny and began to hurry off.

"Hermione! Wait!" he called. She stopped and turned around, waiting for him to continue.

"Will you be my date for the ball?" he asked.

She looked flustered and he scrambled to explain. "That is," he continued, "all the others are all coupled up. I thought we might go together, um, if you want to that is." When did he become such a babbling fool? Why couldn't he just say he wanted to go with her the rest of them be damned?

"Alright," she answered slowly.

His head shot up and he watched her carefully. Why was she so bloody hard to read? Whatever, she said yes. He grinned at her as he headed back behind the counter. "Great! It's a date! I'll see you tonight at the Burrow."

"Great!" she agreed, starting to leave, probably desperate to get away from him and find Ginny to talk about what a nutter he was being. He needed to say something smooth. Recover from acting like a bumbling baboon.

"Oi, Granger!"

"Yes?" she stopped waiting to hear what else he had to say.

"2 more days!"

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	5. Chapter 5

**Notes: Thanks to those of you who followed me over from A Kiss at Midnight. A special thanks to those of you who take time to review. I really do appreciate it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Fred was having a really hard time paying attention to the game. He and his siblings, and well, Harry, but he was almost a sibling now, were attempting a quick game of Quidditch. It was something they had done hundreds of times before, but today was different. Today, sprawled out in the grass underneath him, reading a book, was Hermione, blissfully unaware of all the action taking place above her. It was so bloody _distracting_.

She had no idea that her hair was glistening in the sunlight, for example. Or how every chance he could get he would fly especially low just to catch a glimpse of her, cheeks rosy from the winter air. She definitely missed it when he was nearly taken out by a rogue bludger simply because he was distracted. She was oblivious to all of it and yet he couldn't look away.

"Oi, lover boy!" George cried. "Snap out of it, you're costing us the match."

"Will you pipe down?" he hissed as quietly as one can and still be heard when flying through the air on a broom. "Not everyone knows, yeah?"

His twin just rolled his eyes and flew off. Fred sighed. He knew he was preoccupied, but the ball was the next day and he still hadn't figured out what he was going to win over Hermione. Unfortunately, George was also right. He had no idea what was happening in the game. Forcing himself to pay attention, he watched as Harry grabbed the snitch, much to Ginny's dismay, and his team lost. Whatever, his heart wasn't in it anyway. Maybe he'd go say hi to her now…

"Whatcha reading, Granger?"

She must have been really caught up in her book because she looked up startled. "Um, it's a muggle novel," she shrugged, "one of my favorites. It's a romance. I doubt it would interest you." He loved how her cheeks seemed to turn slightly pink at the admission of reading a romance novel.

"Oh, I can be very romantic, Granger," he said, plopping down beside her.

She snorted. "I doubt very much that you could be serious long enough for that."

"Ah, but who said the two things are mutually exclusive? Isn't there room for a bit of fun in romance?" he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

She didn't say anything for awhile, seeming to be lost in thought. She was staring at him though and after several moments it became a little unnerving. Was it working? Was she actually thinking of him in that way?

"Oi, Hermione! Are you alright?"

He may have imagined it, but he thought he saw her blush. "Sorry, um, I need to go…" She gathered her things and rushed towards the house. Fred stared after her. What had just happened? If he didn't know better he would have thought she had been checking him out. He grinned. Maybe this wasn't such a lost cause after all.

Naturally, George would have had to witness the whole thing.

"What'd you do the poor girl, Freddie?" he teased, nudging his twin playfully as he sat down beside him. "She looked terrified."

"I think I'm starting to get under her skin, Georgie," he replied. "If nothing else at least she is aware of me now."

"You're a Weasley twin, mate. Everyone is aware of us. We're not exactly low key."

"You know what I mean."

"I do," George agreed. "You really think she is starting take you seriously?"

"No, but I think she is at least starting to think about whether or not she wants me to be serious."

His twin clapped him on the back and smirked. "It's a start," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "So, what's next?"

"Well," he grinned, "a Weasley twin never gives up."

* * *

"Hermione, are you alright, dear?" his Mum asked, "You look a bit ill." They had finished eating and everyone was settled back into their favorite spots in the Burrow's living area. He was keenly aware of her presence despite trying his best to act cool.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. Just a bit tired is all."

"Well, perhaps an early bedtime for you, dear," his Mum suggested. "The ball is tomorrow. We want you well rested."

He saw this as a golden opportunity to intervene. "Ah, yes, Granger, I hear your date insists on dancing all evening," he said, giving her a quick wink before proudly declaring "Checkmate!" much to George's dismay.

"Date?" Ron asked. "I didn't know you had a date. Who are you going with then?"

"Only the most handsome, brilliant, and eligible wizard in all of England," Fred answered for her.

"You must be mistaken, Freddie. I'm going with Angelina, remember?" George joked.

"No mistake, Georgie. I'm thinking it's a better looking, smarter, less holey version of yourself," he retorted.

" _You?"_ Ron asked bewildered. "Hermione is going to the ball with _you_?" Fred rolled his eyes at his younger brother's typical pigheadedness. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione beat him to it.

"And why is that so surprising, Ronald?"

Fred glanced over at George who grinned wickedly. They both knew what was about to come when Hermione used that tone and called their brother by his full name. Unfortunately for Ron, he was too thick to let it alone.

"You're _you_ , and well, he's _him_!" he exclaimed. "It's mental, that's what it is. She'll have hexed you before the first dance even starts."

"Oooh, there, there dear. I'm sure Fred will be on his best behavior," his Mum said reassuringly as she walked over to rub Hermione's back. At least his Mum occasionally had faith in him.

"Yeah, right," Ron smirked. He watched as his little brother elbowed Harry in a gesture that obviously meant he thought they were both complete nutters.

Fred immediately winced. How his prat of a brother could not know after years of being friends with her that was the wrong thing for him to do was beyond him.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! That's right, BILIUS," he watched in amusement as she took him to task. "How DARE you? I'll have you know that Fred and I were planning to attend the ball as friends. He was kind enough to ask me since everyone else here is paired off, but you know what? I am LOOKING FORWARD to going to the ball with him. I think it will be a lot of fun. And just because _you_ could never see it, I am so much more than you ever give me credit for."

He watched her stomp out. Well, now he felt guilty. He hadn't meant to upset her with all of this, not when she was finally noticing him. Maybe it was time to come clean.

"What the bloody hell was that?" he hissed at his younger brother.

"Fred, language!" his Mum cried.

"Me?" Ron retorted, "you're the one making her look like a fool!"

"Oh, yeah, how's that?" It was taking a lot of restraint on Fred's part not to hex him. His Mum was standing there though. But to be honest, she kind of looked like she wanted to hex him herself.

"Everybody knows you're just messing with her," Ron laughed, looking around the room for confirmation, clearly surprised by the blank expressions.

"I'm not messing with her, you git! I really want to go with her!"

At this, he rushed after her, ignoring the shock on Ron's face and the knowing look on his Mum's.

* * *

"Hermione! Wait!" he called as he chased after her. Merlin, she was fast when she wanted to be. He had to run to catch up.

"Not now, Fred!" she called, clearly determined to get as far away from him and all of his famiy as possible. He couldn't really blame her, they all seemed to be acting a little crazy lately where she was concerned.

"Please stop!" he begged, attempting to reach for her hand.

" _Why?"_ she asked, whirling around to face him. "Why are you doing this?" she pleaded.

He could tell she was close to tears. His heart sank, he couldn't be responsible for that. Wouldn't be. She thought he was pranking her. Of course, it's what he did, wasn't it? And Ron, one of her best friends, had just confirmed as much. _Crap!_ This was not how it was supposed to be. Not at all. _Show her._

"Hermione," he whispered, reaching forward to brush a tendril of hair behind her ear, but she stepped back, clearly trying to get away from him.

"Please," she pleaded, continuing to back away from him. "You've had your fun. Can we stop the joke now? It isn't funny anymore."

"It's not-" he started only it was too late. She was gone. Apparated to who knew where. He sighed. That went poorly. For the first time in his life, Fred Weasley wished there was no such thing as magic.

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6

**Notes: Thanks to those of you who are reading and reviewing. Also, thanks for following me over from the original story. If you haven't already, I recommend reading it first. It is now complete.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

"So where is she now?" George asked.

"Well, that is the question now, isn't it? Do you think if I knew I would be sitting here with you? She just disappeared. Wouldn't even let me talk." Fred threw himself down on the couch in the flat he and George shared. Everything was so messed up. He should have known all the joking around would come back to bite him in the arse one day.

"You're not going to look for her?"

"Look where? I have no bloody idea where she went. Even if I did find her what would I say? She's convinced the whole thing is a joke."

George stared at him in disbelief. "You've known that the whole time. Suddenly you're giving up because of some things our git of a brother said? C'mon, Fred! Don't be thick. So she thinks it is a joke now. _Show her_ you're serious."

"Kind of hard to do when you don't know where she is," he grumbled. "Besides, Harry went after her. I'm sure the Boy Wonder will make it all better."

George rolled his eyes. "Now you're jealous of Harry?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I don't know. She trusts him, doesn't she? She wouldn't even talk to me. Practically begged me to stay away from her even." He cringed as he remembered how she had flinched at his touch.

He jumped up as a pillow came crashing down on his face. "Bloody hell, George! What was that for?" He grabbed the pillow and tossed it angrily back to his brother.

"You're being a prat."

"What do you suggest then, oh genius brother of mine?"

" _Tell her._ "

"It's not that simple," he said.

"Why not? Not like you can make a much bigger fool out of yourself at this point."

"Thanks a lot, Georgie."

"You know what I mean. What's the worst that could happen? The ball is tomorrow anyway."

"The ball!" He groaned. What if she didn't want to go with him any more? He nearly laughed out how ridiculous the whole situation was turning out to be.

"It's Granger. She'll go. She said she would. Far too noble to go back on her word."

"You're right. I'll just have to prove it to her tomorrow night." He grinned slowly. "Good thing I can be pretty noble myself."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I did say I was going to kiss her at midnight, right? What kind of man would I be if I went back on my word?"

* * *

He was feeling somewhat better after his talk with George, but decided he better find Ginny anyway. His brother was probably right. Hermione was far too nice to back out of going to the ball now, but he couldn't really risk that, could he? He cornered his little sister downstairs after breakfast at the Burrow the next morning. She would know what Hermione was up to.

"Fred! Ow! What are you doing?" she hissed as he grabbed her arm to prevent her from ascending the stairs.

"I need to talk to you," he said. " _Privately."_

"What is it then?" she asked, clearly annoyed by the sudden interruption.

He stared blankly at her for a moment. Now that he had her here he wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't actually told anyone other than George about what was going on, or rather what was _not_ going on, with Hermione and he didn't know how to bring it up.

"Is this about Hermione?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes and couldn't help but smirk. Leave it to Ginny. Always knows everything first she does. "What do you know about it then?" he asked.

"Only that you are clearly up to something as usual. Do you like her? Because if you're just messing with her Fred Weasley, I swear I'll-"

"Will you keep your voice down? I'm not messing with her, Gin! I just need to know if she is still planning to go to the ball with me or not." Fantastic. Even his little sister didn't trust him.

Ginny eyed him carefully, but decided to let it go. "Yes, I'm helping her get ready."

"Wicked!" He planted a kiss on the top of his sister's head. "Thanks, Gin."

"Fred!" she called after him as he walked away. His chest already felt a little lighter as he realized things still had a chance to work out.

"Yeah?"

"Don't hurt her."

He grinned widely. The type of grin that only a Weasley twin could fully master. "Never."

* * *

Fred was sitting downstairs at the Burrow watching the stairs expectantly. He had been ready for the ball for nearly an hour, a fact that George insisted on teasing him about relentlessly, but he couldn't help it. This was his chance. Tonight would probably end up being either the best night or worst night of his life. It was enough to set any bloke a little on edge.

He watched his sister descend the stairs and felt his pulse start to quicken. Hermione couldn't be far behind her. It was now or never. Time to show Hermione just how charming he could be. He took a deep breath hoping to calm his nerves, but didn't have time to dwell on any more of his concerns. She was at the top of the stairs and Merlin, was she gorgeous. She was wearing the most beautiful dress he had ever seen. It fit her perfectly, accenting her curves in all the right places. Her hair fell in soft ringlets around her face and the way the rich color of the dress complemented her features was absolutely breathtaking. Bloody hell, he had known she would look good, but this was almost unfair.

"Hermione?" he asked uncertainly not wanting to be too forward after things were left the previous evening. She turned slowly towards him, his apprehension quickly turning to relief as she smiled up at him. "Fred," she said.

"You look beautiful," he said, taking her arm and proudly escorting her outside. He knew everyone was staring at them and he knew they were making her a little self-conscious, but he didn't care. Let them stare. He had the most beautiful witch in the world on his arm and he intended to enjoy it.

"Nervous?" he asked as they prepared to enter the tent.

She blushed a little before shaking her head. He loved it when she blushed. "Just excited," she said. His heart skipped a beat at this and he grinned down at her.

"Well, then, let's do this, shall we?"

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7

**Notes: Thanks to those who are still following. I am posting two chapters at the same time tonight. I hope you'll let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

He led her into the tent, watching anxiously as she took in the scene in front of her. It was unlike him to be nervous like this. He was the guy that was always the center of attention, creating spectacles just so they could be seen. He didn't care what other people thought. People either loved it or hated it. He'd found over the years that just accepting that as truth was a pretty solid way to live his life. Take it or leave it was the Weasley twins' personal philosophy.

Not any more.

Now, there was this beautiful witch standing in front of him that he wanted so desperately to impress. They were so different in some ways that he was terrified she would never truly be able to appreciate the flamboyant way he and George lived their lives. Still, she didn't seem to hate it. In fact, just the opposite.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" he asked, seeing the smile on her face. "If you'll come with me, I believe our table is just this way."

She took his hand allowing him to guide her through the crowd.

"Ah, here we are Mrs. Granger," he said with a gentlemanly bow. "May I?" he asked and pulled out her chair.

"How?" she asked. "It's beautiful." She was clearly impressed. It made his heart skip a beat.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course! It's mesmerizing, it's gorgeous, it's….perfect," she cried.

"It's for you," he said quietly. Well, that was dumb. He had probably said too much. She looked stunned.

"For me? What are you talking about? We agreed to have a ball to help everyone forget about the war."

"No, you suggested that George and I knew nothing about formal occasions," he argued, thinking desperately of what he could say to save the situation.

"And then," he said as he suddenly whipped out a small corsage from behind his back, "we took it as a personal challenge." He fastened the flower to her wrist. Her arm shuddered slightly under his touch.

"You did all this to convince me you have manners?" she laughed. "You two are something else."

"No, we did it to make you happy," he said softly. "You need to smile more, Granger. Since the war, you have been a real fuddy-duddy."

"Fuddy-duddy?" she smirked.

He threw his hands up in defeat. "It's a muggle word I heard in one of your telly shows! That's what you took away from this? You try to do something nice for somebody…"

She grabbed his arm and pressed a finger to his lips. "I love it," she whispered. "Thank you." She leaned over slowly and left a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Besides, I doubt it will hurt ol' Georgie with Angelina at all," he said, rolling his eyes at his brother and his girlfriend who had just joined them.

"Who else is at our table?"

"That'd be Lee and Katie," he said pointing to the spot beside George and Angelina. "And Harry and Ginny."

"What about Ron?"

Why was she worried about Ron? She wasn't still hung up on him was she? No, of course not. They are still friends is all. "Ah, don't worry, love, we took care of ickle Ronniekins. He and Lav-Lav are perfectly situated between Neville and Luna and…" he grinned pausing for effect. "The Patil twins."

Hermione hit at him jokingly. "You're awful," she said. "Poor Ron won't get a word in edgewise with those three."

"He has Neville and Luna," he said in his own defense. He couldn't really keep a straight face though. He couldn't stand his brother's pathetic excuse of a girlfriend and anything that kept her as far away from his as possible was obviously a perfect plan.

Hermione couldn't help but giggle. "I'm sure that makes it quite alright then."

"Hermione!"

It was Harry. "You look beautiful," Fred heard him whisper. He tried to push down the twinge of jealousy he felt whenever Harry was around. He knew they were just close friends, much like brother and sister. And he also knew that Harry loved Ginny very much, but he couldn't help but feel a little envious of the easy relationship he shared with Hermione.

"This is great, guys," Harry said turning to Fred and George. "Really, you've outdone yourselves."

"Anything for the Boy Who Lived," they answered together. "Now that you mention it, Harry, if we could have a word." They each put an arm around him and led him off, threatening to finish what Voldemort started if he ever hurt their little sister.

"And what about you, Fred? Am I to give you the talk as well?" Harry asked.

"Harry! I'm surprised at you. I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to date Ginny."

"Really, Harry? Incest?" George continued for his twin. "We're not into that kind of thing."

Harry simply rolled his eyes. "You know what I'm talking about. I'm not a fool. You fancy Hermione."

"So what if I do?"

"She's like a sister to me, Fred. Don't hurt her. If this is some kind of joke…or little fling…"

"It's not," George answered for him. "Fred's in _looove."_

Fred only glared at his twin in response. Turning to Harry, he said, "It's not a joke, I swear it. I just need some time to make her see."

"Alright," Harry said, nodding his head. "See that you get to it then." He walked back over to join the girls leaving George sniggering.

"Will you bug off?" Fred asked, giving him a quick shove.

George snorted, but at least had the decency to head back to his date. Fred rubbed his hands through his hair and sighed. Well, if nothing else, it promised to be an interesting night.

* * *

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	8. Chapter 8

**Notes: Thanks to all of you that have followed me over from the original version of this story. If you haven't seen it already, I have started a new Fremione story as well called Clueless. It is completely separate from A Kiss at Midnight. I would love if you would check it out.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

He really wished Kingsley would get on with it. When they had asked him to serve as a Master of Ceremonies of sorts he hadn't expected him to do more than say a brief hiya, how ya doing, and then shut up. He was really anxious to get some time alone with Hermione and the delay was killing him.

"Now, go have fun!"

Finally! He didn't need to be told twice. He offered Hermione his hand. "Well, what do you say, Miss Granger? May I have this dance?"

"Why, certainly, Mr. Weasley," she said, placing her hand in his. It was so small, her hand. And so soft. And warm. He really liked holding it.

He led her to the dance floor just as one of his favorite songs started playing. She obviously liked it too because she wasted no time starting to move in time with the music. It was a natural rhythm between them and before he knew it almost an hour had passed. She indicated that she needed a break and he went off in search of drinks.

"You're an amazing dancer!" she exclaimed as he returned.

"You're not so bad yourself. Who knew you had some of those moves in you? Hot!"

"Oh, stop, I was very modest." He loved it when she blushed like that. It made her even more beautiful in his opinion.

"Oi, it's a slow song coming on! C'mon, love, that will be a nice break. You did promise to dance every dance, after all." He pretended to pout until she gave in. There was no way he was not slow dancing with her tonight. He wanted nothing more than the feel of her in his arms.

"So, we finally have a chance to talk," he said, grinning as she looked back up at him with those huge brown eyes of hers. He was painfully aware of the feel of her hips as he secured his arms around her waist. She leaned in close and he could feel every inch of her body pressed against his. Bloody hell, she had no idea what she did to him.

"I guess so," she said smiling back after a moment, "what would you like to talk about?"

"Well, we could make idle small talk, I suppose," he shrugged, " _or_ we could make fun of the other dancers."

"What?" She looked like she couldn't decide whether to chastise him or laugh.

"Oh, lighten up, Granger," he teased. "I promise not to be overly cruel."

Seeming to accept this, she nodded. He scanned the room looking for his first victim.

"See there," he pointed at an obvious choice, "my dear twin brother. Handsome bloke, but two left feet, he has, just watch."

They watched as George stumbled about. Angelina looked like she was ready to kill him after he stepped on her foot for what was obviously not the first time. He heard Hermione giggle as George twirled around aimlessly, only missing knocking his date in the head because of her quick reflexes.

"You give it a go now."

"Ummm, okay, let's see…what do you think Neville and Luna are talking about?"

"The distinct possibility that nargles stole one of Neville's shoes, which is why he is currently wearing two different ones."

"He is not!" But sure enough, Neville had on one black shoe and one brown shoe. She broke into a fit of giggles and was obviously finding it hard to regain her composure. He loved hearing her laugh. He watched the other couple for a moment. Scatterbrained as he was, it was obvious that Neville cared very deeply for Luna.

"Do you think she knows?" he asked softly.

"That he has on two different shoes? It seems unlikely that she hasn't noticed after being with him all evening."

Fred shook his head. "That he's mad about her," he whispered, attempting to hide the emotion in his voice by choosing that moment to twirl her around.

"Oh, well, I'm not sure. I wasn't aware of it myself, but now that you mention it…"

"That's what I thought," he sighed. "It's very frustrating." Frustrating didn't even really begin to describe it. He couldn't imagine anything much worse. He had fancied Hermione for years and she had never even noticed. It was maddening is what it was.

"You seem very invested in their relationship," she teased. She laughed and leaned back in placing her hand on his chest and grinning up at him. He really hoped she didn't realize how fast his heart was beating. He also really hoped she didn't move her hand.

"Always want to see the guy get the girl in the end," he smiled weakly. He was torn between disbelief and relief that she couldn't see right through him.

"They'd be a good couple," she observed.

"Ah, that they would," Fred agreed as the song ended and another one took its place. Kind of like us, he thought when he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder.

"May I cut in?" Harry asked.

Fred stepped away reluctantly as Hermione replied, "But of course."

"Finally let her out of your clutches, I see," George said as he joined him off the dance floor.

"Not for long," he replied honestly, his eyes never leaving where she and Harry danced, talking and laughing about who knows what.

"Settle down, Freddie," his twin laughed as he realized his brother's fists were clenched. "It's just Harry."

"Why does he need to stand so close to her?"

"Called dancing. I'm sure you've heard of it? Ginny's right there, mate. There's nothing going on."

Fred ignored him and he eventually heard him sigh and pat him on the back. "It seems to be going well so far, yeah?"

"She still doesn't think it's a real date."

"So show her that it is. Or at least tell her you want it to be. Song's winding down. Go on. Tell Granger you fancy her and want to have all her babies. Quickly now, before Harry drops dead from that look you're giving him. Be something if he survived Voldemort, but was taken out by Fred's evil glare."

He snarled at George, but didn't need to be told twice. He didn't intend to give anyone else a chance to steal Hermione away from him. She was his date, after all.

He didn't miss Harry's smirk upon finding Fred waiting for them as soon as the music died down. "Treat her right, mate."

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was all going splendidly if he did say so himself. And he did. Dancing, talking, laughing with Hermione…it had been just what he thought it would be. She was brilliant. He was a little nervous about the next part though. What would she think when they were suddenly alone? He didn't want to come across as a creeper or anything.

"Where are we going?"

"It's nearly midnight," he said simply, trying to act confident, as he pulled her through the crowds and eventually made his way out of the tent. It was dark, but he maneuvered expertly through a nearby grove of trees to a large open area where had previously laid out a blanket.

"Is that-" she began as he handed her a thermos full of piping hot liquid.

He nodded. "Mum's hot cocoa. Come on, let's sit, the show's about to start." He sat down on the blanket, taking her hand to help her get situated gracefully as she was still wearing her dress and high heels.

Well, this was perfect. He would never have dreamed in a million years that she would be willing to sit out here alone with him. Evidently things weren't like they used to be.

"Shouldn't we tell the others they are about to start?" she asked looking around in bewilderment. His heart fell a little. She hadn't realized they were going to be alone after all.

"We charmed the roof of the tent to disappear as the show begins," he said slowly. "They'll be able to see quite well. I just thought it might be nice to watch it together. Privately, I mean." He looked over at her a little uneasily, bracing for her response.

"It's perfect," she said. He glanced down warily, but she seemed sincere. He knew she probably still didn't believe he was serious, but he honestly wasn't sure how to prove it to her.

"Oh, look, it's starting!" she cried as the first sparks filled the air.

"Do you like it?" he whispered in her ear, secretly thrilled by her reaction and the close proximity of their bodies.

"So much," she said. "You guys really outdid yourselves. It's incredible." He grinned at her as she pulled him up into a standing position.

"Hermione," he said, but he wasn't sure if she had heard him over the noise from the display above them. He started to curse his own dumb luck when he noticed that the light from the fireworks was just enough for him to see that she was staring straight at him. Those big, brown eyes that he loved so much.

"I…well, it's just…" he stammered, his usual confidence missing as he obviously struggled to find the right words.

He was interrupted by a loud boom as a giant number 10 appeared in the sky overhead. "Oh, it's the countdown to the new year," Hermione squealed.

9…8…7…6…

"I'm sorry, Fred, what were you saying?" she asked her eyes never leaving the sky.

5…4…3…

He just watched her. She was so vibrant and full of life. And as carefree as she was acting she clearly had forgotten that at the end of tis countdown….

2…1…

He had to go for it though. Isn't that what he had said he was going to do all week? Kiss her at midnight? Merlin knows he wanted to and she had never actually objected, right? She could have told him no. He figured the worst that could happen was that she stopped him and he spent the rest of his life in hiding out of humiliation. He decided to go for it.

"What-" she began, unable to finish as his lips crashed down on hers. Tenderly at first, becoming more urgent as he realized she was responding in kind. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his hand on her back and pulled her body flush with his. Several moments passed before they reluctantly pulled apart. He pressed his forehead to hers, wrapping his arms around her waist. He felt like his heart was going to explode out of his chest. Bloody hell, that had been everything he had been expecting and more.

"Wow," he whispered, as he reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Happy New Year, Hermione," he smiled down at her, as he leaned in once more, brushing his lips softly against hers.

"Happy New Year, Fred," she said softly, not really looking at him. He had no doubt that if they had more light he would see that she was blushing furiously.

He rubbed his hand up and down her back gently, enjoying the intimacy of the moment when he felt her stiffen.

"Hermione?" he asked, lifting her chin so he could again see her eyes. "Are you alright?"

She jumped back, stumbling away from him. Oh, Merlin, was she regretting kissing him? No, no, no… say something. He reached forward to take her hand in his.

"Hermione, I have had so much fun with you tonight. I really wish it didn't have to end."

"But it does," she murmured, releasing herself from his embrace. "I'm sorry, it's late, and I should go. Thank you for a wonderful evening."

He stared dumbly after her as she rushed off. Obviously that hadn't been the right thing to say. How did things go so terribly wrong?

"Damnit!" he cried, punching a nearby tree in frustration. There had been something in that kiss. He knew she felt it. Why did she run away? They had been having a great time or at least so he thought. Crying out in frustration, he stormed back towards the Burrow, eager to find George and then fix his throbbing hand.


End file.
